Man of the Woods
by ChooseJoy
Summary: Hannah keeps her head down, and works hard in exchange for food, shelter and safety at the Sanctuary, but she hates Negan and everything he stands for. Then shit goes down and Daryl shows up as the new man with a plan. Slow burn. Rated M for all the good stuff.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello there! It's been a hot minute, huh? After I stopped writing Leah and Daryl's story Infell in Love, got married and had a baby. Now I'm tired all the time! When season 9 started I got bit by the writing bug again and couldn't get this story out of my head. I got in touch with one of my old beta's and she encouraged me to write and post. So here we are! I hope you enjoy! It feels good to be back. -CJ**

Chapter one

It was a literal blood bath. Hannah looked into the ashen white face of Kevin, who lay motionless on the cot in front of her, and took in a ragged breath. Earlier in the day she had amputated his right hand, her last one of the day. Hopefully the last one for the rest of her life. In the span of 12 hours, she had sewn up 20 wounds and amputated 4 limbs.

Her infirmary was a mess. Blood soaked towels lay in a large pile, dirty instruments piled in the sink, and her concrete floor was covered in bodily fluids. Clean up was going to be a bitch.

Kevin's chest rose and fell unsteadily, his breath shallow. But he was alive. She picked up his left wrist, checking his pulse. Slow. She would have to keep a close eye on him through the night.

She sighed deeply. A quick look around her was proof that the night was far from over. Besides the complete mess that was waiting to be cleaned up, all five of her beds were full. These five were the worst of them all. Jackson had taken a bullet to the shoulder. Marie lost her left arm from the elbow down. Axel and Jonah both lost hands. There would need to be someone on watch through the night, just in case one of them didn't make it through. The rest of the wounded had been sent to their quarters with nothing but a few Tylenol for their troubles, to show for it.

She had heard that there were more wounded saviors elsewhere, that Ricks crew had divided them up and sent some to be seen by Alexandria's doctor. And then there were those who hadn't made it back alive. Hannah's stomach churned at the thought. Who was among that group that she had grown to love during her time at the sanctuary?

She had been hiding in her room when the chaos started. She was expecting it, but not this soon and not like this. The day before she had been instructed to prepare the infirmary for possible multiple wounds. She didn't ask questions. She just obeyed. That's what she had been doing for the past two years. In exchange for a safe place to stay and food to eat, she kept her head down, healed people, stayed quiet, and obeyed.

When she heard yelling and horns honking from outside, she had run straight to the infirmary. She knew where she was needed. But, she hadn't expected what greeted her. Wounded saviors were coming in by the truck load, and she had felt her years as an ER nurse kick in. She assessed each patient as they passed by her, barking out orders to whoever was close by and sending the most severely wounded to the front of the line. There hadn't been time to ask questions about what had happened on that battlefield or why so many people had mangled hands. The clock was ticking and if she wanted to save these people she needed to act fast.

Now, her back and feet were killing her. She was exhausted. Starving. Thirsty. But the work was far from over. She walked over to the sink. She needed a shower, but this would do for now. Someone had put a fresh basin of water on the counter, and she was so thankful for whoever it was. She dunked her hands in, surprised that it was warm, and watched the blood from her skin dirty the clean water. She grabbed a bar of handmade soap and started scrubbing, up her arms and under her fingernails, scrubbing until her hands were red and raw.

 _Just a quick break_ , she thought while drying her hands on a nearby clean towel. Some fresh air would do her good.

Outside, the sun was bright and air was crisp. She took a deep breath, a feeble attempt to get the smell of flesh out of her nose. Closing her eyes, she leaned against the building and turned her face towards the sky, letting the sun warm her skin. They were well into fall and colder days were quickly approaching. Hannah felt her stomach tighten a little at the thought. The saviors weren't good people, not their leaders anyways, they survived by allowing others to perish. Food didn't grow in this concrete mess, and the only way they ate was by stealing. Or "trading" as Negan called it. Supplies for safely. Hannah wasn't dumb, Negan's ways were cruel, but it was survival. But now? How would they eat now? She knew about Alexandria, about The Kingdom, Hilltop. Being the resident nurse gave her ears everywhere. These places were their food source- would they be left to fend for themselves now?

Her fellow saviors had talked while Hannah stitched them up. She heard about the bad bullets, about the backfires, about Rick slicing Negan's throat. She had seen members of Alexandria patrolling the sanctuary- there were 4 of them stationed around the infirmary. But, she didn't know what they had in mind. Would they let them starve? Negan had done them dirty for so long, how would they retaliate?

A quiet set of footsteps made her reluctantly open her heavy eyes and turn to her left.

She immediately recognized the man who was approaching her: Daryl. She had taken care of him when he was held prisoner. Her stomach churned. The way Negan treated him had been disgusting. Hannah had tried to give him a small piece of hope, and treat him like the human he was, but she remembered him being combative and resistant to her help. She couldn't blame him.

"Hey, Doc," Daryl said to her. "Mandatory meeting. We're gonna need ya there."

"Can't."

Daryl raised an eyebrow. Hannah supposed that his stern blue eyes were meant to challenge her, but she wasn't fazed. She'd seen Daryl at his weakest, most vulnerable moments. She had treated his wounds, and had given him comfort when no one else would. Her heart was already soft towards him.

"I gotta stay," she explained. "In case someone doesn't make it. "

Daryl nodded at her, understanding. "We got someone covering for ya. Ten minutes, main entrance." He turned and began to walk away.

"I'm a nurse. Not a doctor." She said to his back.

She watched him pause before turning around. He looked at her, a slight frown in his forehead. "Don't be late."

Hannah watched him retreat, his gait confident. She wanted to call him back to apologize for what Negan had done to him, but decided against it. It just didn't feel like the right time or place. Daryl didn't look to be in any mood to chit chat.

A large group of saviors had already assembled when Hannah walked out to the main entrance of the factory. The tension and fear among her friends was thick. Their future was uncertain, and they no longer had the upper hand.

Hannah felt a hand grab her elbow and pull her close. She jumped and made a move to pull away.

"Shhh." The hand gripped harder.

She recognized the voice immediately. "Justin. What's going on?"

"Some kind of bullshit." He gently swiveled her body so she could see the outskirts of the crowd. They were surrounded. "They've got guns on us. Look up."

Sure enough. There were lookouts on top of the factory, too, guns at the ready.

For the first time since it all began, Hannah felt fear. "Are they just going to open fire on us or what?"

Behind her, Justin grumbled inaudibly, and then: "I don't like this shit one bit. They took our weapons. Stripped us one by one. Then herded us like cattle into an open field."

Hannah had no idea what had transpired while she has spent hours in the infirmary, but she knew it couldn't be good. The way Justin was grabbing her elbow scared her; it was as if he was trying to protect her and reassure himself at the same time. He was scared. He would never admit to it, but she could tell in the way he spoke, his words slightly shaken.

Her eyes darted around her surroundings, taking everything in. She saw a bearded man on top of a storage trailer, and although Hannah had never met the guy, she immediately knew it was The Famous Rick Grimes.

Before Hannah could respond to Justin, Rick's voice boomed over the crowd.

"We didn't bring you here to hurt you," he announced. "We're here for peace."

Hannah lifted an eyebrow,intrigued. If they were here for peace, why did they have guns on them?

"My son Carl wrote Negan a letter before he died. He begged him for a better way. He asked Negan to stop. He asked me to stop." Rick paused, choking on his words. He cleared his throat and closed his eyes. "Carl. He said the only way out of all of this is to work together. To forgive. He wanted me to offer you peace. He wanted you to take it."

Hannah heard small whispers spreading through the crowd. Beside her Justin bristled.

"I'm here. We're all here. Alexandria. Hilltop. The Kingdom. Oceanside." Rick continued. "To offer peace. It doesn't have to be a fight. I've made mistakes. But, Carl helped me realize that every life is worth something. We don't have to forget what happened, but we can move forward. Together. We can create a future."

Hannah found herself nodding along. Peace had been what she longed for all along. The fighting made her sick.

Justin, still holding her elbow, pulled her in closer. "I don't trust him."

"Something tells me that we don't have a choice," Hannah answered him.

Rick continued his speech, and Hannah felt herself buying even more into his vision. He was right. They could fight together. For a future. She wanted that. She looked around her to get a pulse on how everyone was reacting. Most of the crowd seemed favorable. Many of them were like Hannah- they kept their heads down and worked, but they were always in fear of their lives. Negan never felt safe. Rick was offering safety. Peace of mind. A reprieve from always being on guard, fearful of stepping out of line.

A select few of her fellow saviors were reacting like Justin. Unsure. Apprehensive. Even angry.

"I spared Negan," Rick continued. "Because the future has second chances and his life matters. He's locked up and isn't going anywhere anytime soon. Maybe one day he will have served his time and will rejoin our new world."

Hannah noticed movement beside Rick, and turned to see Daryl joining him.

"Daryl has agreed to stay here at the sanctuary." Rick clapped Daryl's shoulder. "He will be your leader, and your liaison between the communities."

"What the hell?!" Justin reacted.

So did many other saviors. Shouts of protest went up among the crowd. A new leader didn't set right with them.

Hannah looked at Justin. "Chill. It's cool."

"Seriously, Hannah? I don't like that guy."

Hannah shrugged. "I don't mind him."

Justin rolled his blue eyes at her. "You're always soft, and it's gonna get you killed one day."

"You always say that. But, I'm still here."

"Cause I'm looking out for your ass." He tapped her butt gently.

Rick gained control of the crowd. "I trust that you will show him respect!"

Hannah looked at Daryl. His face was stoic, and she wondered how he felt about the arrangement. She was sure he hated all of them for what he had been through at the sanctuary. Maybe now that Negan was gone, he would see the rest of them in a different light. They weren't all Negan, and the majority of them were relieved that he wouldn't be wreaking anymore havoc on their lives. She was sure that Daryl would be a much kinder leader, He for sure wouldn't require them to kneel in his presence. The new arrangements ignited a small spark of hope in her.

Later that evening, there was a soft knock at her door. Hannah groaned inwardly. She was exhausted, barely able to keep her eyes open, wanting nothing more than to collapse into bed. It had been a long 24 hours. After Rick's meeting, she had cleaned up the infirmary and made rounds, checking on everyone she had treated earlier in the day.

She hoped that knock didn't mean something had gone south at the infirmary.

"Hannah." It was Justin.

She frowned, totally not in the mood for a booty call, but opened the door. "Hey."

"You good?"

She didn't invite him in. "Exhausted. But yeah. Good. You?"

Justin leaned in, his body against the door frame. She knew he wanted to come in, but she was standing her ground. "I'm pissed as hell."

"I know. Just give it some time. Yeah?"

"Yeah." He stared at her lips. "Yeah."

She reached out and gave him a soft, friendly push. "I've been awake for 24 hours. I gotta sleep for a bit and get back to work."

Justin reached out and picked up a dark curl from her shoulder. "Message received, nurse. How about I just lend ya my body heat? I know how cold you get."

She raised an eyebrow. He slept in the common area and Hannah knew part of the reason he was in front of her was to escape the madness of the factory floor. If she hadn't had her nursing skills, she would also have been put in the workers quarters. But Negan saw her as a valuable asset.

"Body heat services only?"

"Scouts honor."

"Get in here."

* * *

It was still dark when Hannah woke up the next morning. Beside her, Justin snored quietly and his arm wound tightly around her. She sighed, contemplating the situation, wanting to get up and get into the infirmary to relieve whoever was on night duty, but not wanting to wake him. She wasn't in the mood to deal with his morning hard on.

She shifted slowly, and felt him stir. His arm tightened. Shit.

"Mmm." He nuzzled into her neck and she felt his hand creep slowly up to her breast. Double shit. One caress of her nipple and she knew she would be powerless to say no. He knew exactly how to turn her on.

His thumb ghosted over her nipple and she immediately felt her body respond. Maybe a quickie would be good for her. She WAS pretty tense.

She could feel his dick slowly rising and falling against her hip. He rolled her nipple between his thumb and forefinger and she let out a small sigh before she felt his lips descend onto her other breast. That was it. She felt her body relax and let him work her over. Damn. He knew how to make her feel good.

After sleepily getting each other off, Justin immediately fell back asleep allowing Hannah to make her exit. She grabbed a few toiletries on her way out of the room, planning to hit the common bathroom before checking into the infirmary. The factory was still quiet. She hadn't checked the time, but assumed it wasn't much later than 5am. The breakfast crew would be up, and anyone on watch, but other than that everyone else should still be sleeping.

The bathroom was just down the hall, and the infirmary a little further. Negan had made sure that she was living close by and she was on call 24/7.

She stepped in, cleaning herself up as best she could in the dim lights. Her hair needed a good wash, but for the time being she piled the mess of curls on top of her head and tied a bandanna around them. She stared in the mirror. She looked exhausted. Dark bags stood out prominently against her fair skin and her eyes were puffy.

She quickly splashed her face with cold water, dried it and stepped back out into the hallway.

Ahead of her, beside the infirmary doors, stood two men. She squinted to make out who they were, but couldn't. When they saw her approaching, their voices died down.

"Morning to you, Nurse Hannah," one of them greeted

She felt a small twinge of betrayal at the sound of the voice. "Eugene. Morning."

She had trusted Eugene. During his time here they had struck up a friendship. She understand why he did what he did. But he had hurt her friends in the process.

"I trust the night was good to you and you were able to find some respite," he said.

She walked closer, and saw it was Daryl with Eugene. "It was a short night. How is everyone?" Her question was directed to Daryl.

"Sleeping," Eugene answered "Made it through the night fine."

"Good. Were you both up all night?"

"I took it upon myself to keep watch over our friends in the infirmary alongside Samantha." Eugene said. "Daryl here was able to get some sleep."

Hannah nodded. Eugene was paying penance for his actions, and she imagined he was feeling some sort of guilt over their condition.

"Alright. I better get in there."

Daryl moved away from the door so Hannah could enter the room.

"Thank you."

He nodded and followed her in. She hadn't expected that, but whatever. She would put him to work. The room was quiet, but smelled like infection. Shit. She needed to get these dressings changed.

Sammie, one of her infirmary assistants, grabbed a notebook when Hannah entered, ready to relay the night watch information.

"How'd it go?" Hannah asked her.

Sammie nodded. "Not bad. I recorded temps and meds through the night." She handed over the notebook and Hannah glanced over the notes quickly.

"Everyone seems stable?"

Sammie bobbed her head, "Kinda. Jonah spiked a fever just a bit ago. I was getting ready to change his dressing."

"Thanks, Sammie. Why don't you head out? Get some rest. I can take it from here."

"Sounds good. Let me know if you need me."

Hannah reached out and gave the girls shoulder a comforting squeeze as she walked by. "Will do."

She turned to Daryl. "Feel like helping?"

He hesitated for a second, before answering. "Just tell me how."

She gave him a small smile.

"Thanks. I appreciate it." She moved to Jonah's bedside. "Hey kiddo. How'd ya sleep?"

Jonah stirred, and Hannah placed a hand on his forehead. He was burning up.

"Like shit," Jonah whispered. "Think I got a fever."

"Me too. Daryl can you grab the thermometer? It's in the left top cabinet."

"Yes ma'am."

Hannah and Daryl worked quietly alongside each other, Hannah pleasantly surprised at how much of a help he was. She didn't expect their new leader to be in the trenches with her. Medic duty wasn't exactly the most glamorous work. But here he was, grabbing bandages, ointment, anything she asked for, and not even flinching at the gnarly wounds that she unwrapped. It gave Hannah mad respect for the guy.

She sent 4 of her patients back to their own space by the end of the morning where they would be more comfortable. She promised to check on them every couple of hours. She wanted to keep Jonah in the infirmary until his fever broke.

"Thanks for your help," Hannah said quietly when Jonah had fallen asleep. "It was unexpected."

Daryl nodded. "Yeah. No problem." He looked into her eyes and she was taken aback by how blue they were. Last time they had been this close it had been in a dark cell. He chewed on his cheek in thought and Hannah waited for him to speak again.

"I remember how ya helped me."

"I'm sorry about what Negan did to you." Hannah continued to keep her voice low.

A muscle in his jaw twitched, and he nodded acknowledging the apology. "Ain't your fault."

Hannah shrugged. "Still. He's an awful man."

Daryl's eyebrow raised in interest. "Bold thing to say."

"I've always thought it. I feel safe to say it now."

Daryl continued to study her face closely. "He ain't gonna be a problem no more."

"Bout time. I liked what Rick said. All this fighting has always made me sick."

There was a quick knock on the door and Justin appeared on the other side, a cup of coffee in his hand. He walked into the room and over to where Hannah stood, handing her the cup before leaning against a counter. She gratefully took the warm mug, but wished he would stop bringing it to her every morning. It felt too coupley. Justin might have other ideas about what they were, but Hannah had made herself clear on many occasions. They were nothing more than friends. Friends who fucked. A lot.

She took a sip while the two men eyed each other. Justin was clearly puffing himself up, his biceps flexing under this t-shirt. Daryl either didn't notice or didn't care. Hannah suppressed a smile. She liked that he wasn't into dick measuring competitions.

"I'm Justin."

"Daryl."

Justin laughed a little. "Yeah. I remember."

"Why's that funny?" Daryl spoke with confidence, but was not threatening.

"Not funny, man." Justin spoke like an asshole.

There was a pause, that drew out awkwardly and Hannah started to shift uncomfortably.

"Alright then. Listen, we're gonna build this place back up." Daryl finally said, returning to the conversation they were having before Justin came in. "Gotta lot of work to do, but we're gonna do it."

"Who did you piss off to land here?" Justin asked.

"Didn't piss off no one. I'm here with Eugene and Rosita to help."

Hannah smiled widely at him. "I'm glad to have you. I hope the sanctuary is good to you


	2. Chapter 2

**It feels so good to be writing again! I can't believe it has been five years since I last wrote. Daryl and Leah will always have a place in my heart, but I am enjoying creating Daryl and Hannah's story. And, I just love season 9 Daryl. He is so much fun to write.**

 **If you are reading and enjoying, I would love to hear from you. I am wondering if the fanfic community is still alive and well?**

 **Love, CJ**

 **Chapter 2**

 _Hannah looked at the half naked man sitting on her table and tried to make eye contact, but his head hung low and his eyes refused to leave the floor._

 _She gently touched his shoulder and he flinched. "Nasty cut ya got there."_

 _His head briefly lifted to look at it, but didn't say a word._

 _"Dwight, mind stepping out? I want to give Daryl a full examination." Hannah asked the man standing guard at the door._

 _"You know how Negan feels 'bout that."_

 _"Negan isn't here. Five minutes?"_

 _Dwight nodded. "Yeah. Five minutes."_

 _"Thanks." As soon as he stepped out of the door, Hannah made a beeline to a locked drawer, quickly opening it and grabbing a pack of peanut butter crackers._

 _She handed them to Daryl. "Eat. Fast. It's probably the last decent thing you're gonna have in awhile."_

 _He grabbed the pack from her hands and ripped it open furiously. She turned away, gathering supplies to treat his shoulder while he ate. She took her time, giving him privacy. When she heard the empty plastic pack crinkle she turned, taking the trash and quickly disposing of it._

 _"Thanks." Daryl said quietly._

 _Hannah nodded in acknowledgment. "Dwight. You can come back in."_

 _Dwight stepped in and closed the door behind him._

 _"He seems good, except for this shoulder laceration." She said to Dwight. "I'm gonna patch him up and then he's all yours."_

 _The room was quiet while Hannah worked, the only sound an occasional hiss of pain from Daryl. She worked quickly, but gently. And when Dwight took him away she tried not to think about what his future held._

* * *

Daryl walked the catwalk above the factory floor. Below him, workers kept busy, staying true to the jobs they had been given under Negan's rule. They had been welcoming to him, something he hadn't expected. They shook his hand, told him thank you and were genuinely grateful Negan was gone. Daryl understood. Negan was a sick fuck.

He leaned against the rail and watched the movement on the floor. They were counting on him and he sure as shit hoped he didn't let them down. Or Rick. Or Maggie. Or Carol.

He wasn't sold on Rick's plan, but he was willing to give it a shot. He and Maggie had an agreement. They would try, but we're willing to take action if things didn't work out. He might have almost lost his will to live in this place, but he owed Rick a chance at making it work. Rick was family.

He was grateful for Eugene and his insight into how the sanctuary operated. They had been working closely together for a week now, making plans for how to give this place new life. Together they had sketched out plans for crops, for harvesting and storing food, they had brainstormed about how to make fuel, and create energy and how to keep fresh water flowing. And they were working on a trade system between the communities. Negan and his crew weren't dumb, they were just assholes. They had left a good blueprint to work from.

Daryl rubbed his face. He was dog tired. Getting sleep in this place was damn near impossible. He had been tossing and turning every night, usually giving up and opting to take a walk outside. It was catching up to him. His thoughts were foggy and stamina low. He suppressed a yawn and pushed off the railing, briefly wondering if the nurse had something to help him sleep. The thought left his mind as quickly as it entered when his radio crackled. Carol's voice came over the line and the corner of his lips turned up. It was comforting to hear her familiar voice.

Hannah carefully unwrapped Jonah's arm, and winched when she saw the infection underneath. His wound was covered in sores, and the smell turned her stomach. It was undeniable. Jonah had developed gangrene.

She needed antibiotics. Antibiotics that she didn't have. She examined the infection, and considered her options. Without the antibiotics she couldn't do much except amputate further. She wasn't a surgeon, to attempt anything more complex was out of the question. She would end up doing more harm than good. She had no way of knowing if the infection had already spread to his blood stream or not, but she had to act fast.

 _Shit. Balls. Mother fucking shit balls._

She wanted to throw something.

Hannah flew around the infirmary, gathering what she needed. She needed a sedative. Jonah's fever had him in and out of consciousness, but it wasn't enough. And dammit. She needed help. She made a beeline out the door and down the hall, looking for anyone who might know where her infirmary help was.

"Have you seen Sammie?" She asked a passerby.

They shook their head and she kept running, heading to the factory floor where Sammie slept.

Daryl watched Hannah crash through the door of the common area and wave frantically to someone. Two people jumped up, that he recognized as Sammie and Justin, and he watched the three of them run out together. That definitely looked like a situation that he needed to check on.

Beside him, Rosita commented. "What's that all about?"

"Gonna go find out." Daryl answered. His legs took long strides towards the doors, and he headed in the direction of the infirmary, hoping that was where the three were headed.

When he got there, Hannah was barking out orders.

"Justin. I'm gonna need you to hold him down. I don't have enough sedative to knock him completely out." Her tone was all business. "Sammie, tie up his arm right above the elbow."

Daryl hesitated at the door, unsure if he would be helpful or just in the way.

Hannah saw him at the door and quickly put him to work. "Daryl. You get his legs. Hold him down."

"What's going on?" He asked while moving into place.

"Gangrene." Hannah answered while scrubbing her hands. "I hope to God this works. It's our only option. I don't have the antibiotics that I need to kill the infection."

"Damn." Justin said.

Hannah dried her hands and carefully put gloves on. She picked up Jonah's mangled arm, examining, looking for the best place to make her cut. Daryl winced a little when he saw the wound, it was gnarly.

Hannah's quick and efficient movements made Daryl trust her expertise 100 percent. She picked up a bone saw, took a deep breath and said, "Hold tight."

Underneath Daryl, Jonah's body jerked and he moaned. Daryl looked up at his face, the kid was paler than a ghost.

Hannah was fast, and had the lower half of Jonah's arm was severed in no time.

"Shit. He's really bleeding." Hannah cursed after the cut was made. "It shouldn't be bleeding this much."

Sammie tightened the tourniquet and applied direct pressure to the wound. But it wasn't doing much good.

"Fuck." Hannah swore again.

Daryl looked up. Damn. That was a lot of blood.

"He's gonna fucking bleed out." Hannah's voice started to shake, as she gathered more towels to apply pressure, she was scared.

Daryl leaned his full weight onto Jonah's legs. The poor kid was shaking.

"He's going into shock." Sammie said, frantically and looking to Hannah for direction.

"Fuck!" Hannah pressed hard on the arm, applying as much pressure as she could, attempting to stop the blood flow. "Daryl, lift his legs. Justin. Turn his head in case he vomits."

Jonah's face was pale and sweating profusely.

"Sammie, what's his pulse?"

The young girl placed two fingers in his artery and shook her head. "We're gonna lose him."

"No!" Hannah shouted and gently slapped Jonah's face. "Hey buddy. Don't you dare give up on us."

She started working faster, to stop the bleeding. Daryl couldn't tell where Jonah's blood ended and where Hannah began. She was covered, elbows deep and up to her chest in it. Dark red, it soaked the sheets and pooled onto the floor. Jonah was no longer fighting, his body had gone still. Daryl grunted under the dead weight of the kids legs and shifted.

"Do you still have a pulse Sammie?"

The girl shook her head.

"Fuck." Hannah climbed onto the bed and straddled Jonah, she intertwined her hands and started chest compressions. "C'mon Jonah!"

Daryl made eye contact with Justin, and they exchanged unspoken words. This wasn't going to end well. Daryl nodded and grabbed the knife off his hip, handing it forward. Justin took it carefully, and held it at his side, ready to take quick action if needed.

Hannah wasn't going to stop. She refused to lose him. She was frantic, her chest compressions so hard that Daryl heard a rib crack.

"Hannah." Justin said, gently. "Stop."

"I'm not stopping until he comes back or turns!"

Sammie looked to Daryl for help, her eyes pleading with him to do something.

He had no fucking clue. Slowly, he put Jonah's legs down and stepped to Hannah's side. "He's gone."

Hannah pretended not to hear the deep, rough voice beside her. She could not fail. She was so tired of people dying.

Justin handed the knife off to Daryl and grabbed Hannah's waist, picking her up. "He's gone, Hannah. Stop."

She fought against him. "Put me down, Justin! I can't lose him."

Once he knife was in Daryl's hand, and Justin had Hannah, he wasted no time. "You sure he's gone?" He quietly asked Sammie.

She nodded. "Positive".

He gave a brief nod, turned Jonah's head to the side, and quickly put the knife into the bottom of his skull. As he pulled it out, the door to the infirmary banged close so hard the glass window rattled. He looked up just in time to see Hannah's dark hair disappear down the hallway.

* * *

She had found this spot about a year ago, outside the walls of the factory, it was the only place Hannah could be alone. Patrols rarely came around, and if she focused hard enough it almost felt like she wasn't at the sanctuary at all.

She leaned against the wall and looked out into the night. It was quiet and the moon was bright, casting shadows across the walls. The concrete ground underneath her butt was cold, and she pulled her coat tighter. In her hand, she gripped a bottle of Jack Daniels.

It just wasn't right. Jonah was young. Barely 18. And she had cost him his life with her shitty nursing skills. She was never supposed to be the one doing rustic surgeries, with no meds or sedatives. Sure, she had seen plenty of car accident victims, gunshot wounds and broken bones but, she was just a nurse for fuck's sake. Not a goddamn surgeon.

She unscrewed the cap of the glass bottle and took a large swig, the liquid burning on the way down. All she wanted to do was escape from the day. It had broken her. All the loss. It was too much sometimes.

She kicked at a rock with the toe of her boot, sending it skipping across the cement.

Before all this she had a great life. A good job at a hospital near DC, a nice apartment, a sweet boyfriend who loved her hard, and the best friends anyone could ask for. It wasn't a flashy life. It was quiet, happy and calm. And she missed it like hell. She generally tried not to think about life before. But, some nights memories came flooding back like a dam bursting open. Tonight was one of those nights.

She took another healthy swig from the bottle, and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. She was pissed at herself for losing Jonah. She was sloppy. She should have slowed down and been more intentional about where she was cutting. She could have tried to clean the dead tissue out of the wound first rather than amputating.

 _Shoulda. Coulda. Woulda._

She took another swig, fully intending to get shitfaced.

"Ya got enough for two?" A low, raspy voice interrupted her thoughts.

She looked up to see Daryl standing about 7 feet away. She hadn't heard him approach. "You always so damn quiet?"

He shrugged. "Yep."

She laughed despite her mood and held the bottle up, letting it to dangle from her fingers. Daryl was quick, and grabbed it before it could slip to the ground.

She watched, studying him, while he took a sip. He wasn't hard to look at that was for sure. Yeah, he was rough and a little intimidating, but Hannah wasn't fazed by his hardness. She seemed to have a thing for the bad boys since the world fell.

"Ya just gonna stand there drinking my shit or are you going to join me?"

She thought she saw a tiny up turn of his lips before he sat down next to her. He handed the bottle back and she held it to her lips for a short moment before taking a sip. "Bad day."

Daryl took the bottle back. "Yep."

They drank, passing the bottle back and forth in the silence of the night, neither of them feeling the need to talk. The whiskey worked quickly, and Hannah let her mind wander as her body loosened.

Finally she broke their silence. "You know what?"

"Huh?"

"I haven't been outside these stupid fences since I got here."

Daryl's head turned so he could look at her profile. He was surprised when he noticed how the moonlight lit her face up, and made her eyes sparkle.

Hannah could feel his eyes on her and she didn't mind one bit. It felt good to be noticed.

"I'd go crazy stuck in here." He said.

Hannah laughed sadly. "Why do you think I drink?"

Daryl laughed and took the bottle from her, taking his own swig.

"Negan never wanted to compromise my safety." She took the bottle back and sipped. "Stupid asshole."

"Ain't arguing that." He put his hand out for the bottle.

"Why do you drink Daryl?" Booze always made her introspective and willing to ask deep questions.

Daryl chewed his thumb and was quiet. Thinking. Hannah thought he might not answer the question. Finally, his voice cut through the silence. "Cause I don't want it to be like it was before. But, I don't want it to be like this neither."

"I do want it back to the way it was. I miss it every damn day."

Daryl nodded. "There was a girl. With our group. Beth." He paused and Hannah thought it looked like he was gaining his composure.

"She told me, ya can't be wishing for what was. It'll kill ya."

"Smart girl."

"Yeah." His voice cracked a little.

"Sounds like you miss her."

Daryl shrugged. "It was a long time ago."

Hannah frowned, before drinking some more. "I'm tired of losing people."

Daryl picked up a rock, turning it over between his thumb and forefinger. "Yeah."

She took another gulp from the bottle and handed it over, their hands brushing in the exchange. Hannah smiled. His hand felt rough, yet warm and strong and the comfort it gave her was enough to keep talking. "I hate it here. I never wanted to be here. But I told myself to just focus on helping people. But, instead I kill them."

She laughed, even though there was nothing funny.

Daryl looked at her, a frown on his face. "Ya helped me."

Hannah's head started to feel heavy and she let it drop to Daryl's shoulder. "That was easy. A few crackers and stitches in the shoulder is cake."

She felt him shift closer, getting comfortable. "Did more than that."

Hannah sighed. Her body was loose and warm. And Daryl was solid. Comfortable. "I'm just trying to find some type of happiness in this world."

Daryl held the bottle in front of his face. "This is a good start."

"What makes you happy Daryl?"

"You always ask so many damn questions?"

"Only when I drink. And I'm officially drunk right now."

Daryl snorted. "Fair 'nough."

Hannah nudged him. "So what is it?"

"People, I guess. The ones like family."

Hannah felt a twinge of jealousy that he had that. "Yeah. I don't have any of those here."

"Justin?"

Hannah snorted loudly. "Justin isn't exactly anything special. He's just convenient."

Daryl cocked an eyebrow.

"He just kinda keeps the loneliness away, ya know?"

"Yeah. I get it."

"You have anyone like that?"

"Naw."

"You should. It helps."

"Maybe."

"Does that make me seem slutty?"

"I've seen slutty before. It ain't you."

Hannah lifted her head to look at him. He was practically a stranger, yet she felt completely safe and comfortable with him. She couldn't remember the last time a person's presence felt so peaceful. She couldn't explain why. It just was.

He looked back at her, their eyes locking.

After Daryl had escaped the sanctuary, he never forgot her. Each damn day Hannah had popped into his head. Even when all he wanted to do was forget the shit he went through, there she was, her pretty face in his mind. She had been so kind to him, in a genuine way that was rare these days. It stuck with him.

Hannah turned her shoulders so her entire body faced him.

"I'm only doing this cause I'm really drunk. And you look like you need it." She said before her lips sloppily landed on his.

She expected him to push her away, and was surprised when his lips moved against hers. She was even more surprised at how hungry his movements were. She leaned forward, closing the gap between their bodies and let him suck greedily on her bottom lip.

Why did this feel so right? It had to be the alcohol talking. Daryl had no idea what he was doing. He hadn't kissed anyone since… well, he wasn't sure. Since before. Way before. And, honestly, he hadn't wanted to kiss anyone since Beth. But right here, in this moment, he wanted to kiss Hannah. Yeah. It was probably the alcohol.

Hannah's teeth nipped at him, sending sparks of electricity down his body. He felt his hand move on its own to grip her waist and their mouths moved hungrily against each other.

Hannah moaned a little before slowly breaking away. Daryl's lips followed her, stealing one last kiss.

After they both had taken a moment to catch their breath, he quietly said, "Only kissed ya back because I'm drunk."


End file.
